Morocco head coach Walid Regragui is out just three months before this summer’s World Cup, where they are expected to be amongst the dark horse contenders to win the whole thing. The coach announced the decision in a press conference on Thursday, per Reuters. Mohamed Ouahbi, the head coach of Morocco’s U-23 national team, is taking charge.
Morocco will play friendlies against Ecuador and Paraguay at the end of the month as the final stages of preparation begin for this summer’s tournament.
Regragui, a Morocco international during his playing days, took the job in similar circumstances. He took the helm just three months before the 2022 World Cup began in Qatar following the firing of Vahid Halilhodzic, settling in quickly. The Atlas Lions reached the knockouts for the first time since 1986 and went on to beat Spain in the round of 16 and Portugal in the quarterfinals, becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals of a World Cup. Regragui himself was also the first African coach and Arab coach to reach the last four of a World Cup, eventually finishing fourth place.
Expectations rose for Morocco after their World Cup run, entering December’s Africa Cup of Nations on home soil as the favorites to win the whole thing. Anchored by Brahim Diaz, the Spain-born Real Madrid attacker who completed a one-time switch to Morocco and took part in his first tournament for the Atlas Lions, the hosts reached the final and had a golden opportunity to win their first AFCON title in 50 years when they won a penalty in the dying minutes of regular time. Senegal protested for an extended period of time before Diaz missed the spotkick, eventually paving the way for Senegal’s Pape Gueye to score the final’s lone goal in the fourth minute of extra time.
Pressure has mounted on Regragui since, facing calls to resign from reporters in a post-match press conference following the AFCON final.
Morocco are set to open their World Cup campaign on June 13 against five-time champions at MetLife Stadium in the New York City suburbs. They continue Group C play with a match against Scotland on June 19 at Gillette Stadium in the Boston area before closing out the group with a match against Haiti on June 24 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
